5 Differences Between DL Law Schools and Traditional Schools

I am also not a fan of the ABA, but I respect them for at least having some standards for law schools. Basically, what Distance Education wants to do is circumvent the modern day process of becoming a lawyer in the U.S. They lure all these folks who don't want to go the traditional route for whatever reason. Look, I respect you for not wanting to follow the rules to be a lawyer. But whatever it is you are doing at Concord Law should not entitle you to practice law anywhere as far as I am concerned. You will receive an artificial J.D. and can brag to everyone around that milk ranch.

Basically, what Distance Education wants to do is circumvent the modern day process of becoming a lawyer in the U.S.

When I think about this, all I can think is that the Law is a far more unforgiving and hypercompetitive hiring environment than business.

In business, even as muddied as the waters are with MBAs (given that so many are conferred by non-AACSB schools), I can't imagine anybody ever getting anything: not a promotion, not a job, not extra consideration for a job, based on a correspondence MBA.

An acquaintance is getting some sort of correspondence Ph.D. (Not through an actual university.) All i can wonder is, "why?" Does she think she's going to get a teaching post afterwards?

Sometimes there are shortcuts in life, but there are very few. Correspondence schools are undoubtedly better due to modern technology, but they're still no substitute for a real university.

I doubt many people with these correspondence degrees are very happy that they got them.

A couple of pertinent points raised here: 1) Education is market-driven. Even though your imaginations and prejudices may not allow you to make such a connection, the fact is the new paradigm in education is digital and commercial. Those individuals and associations who can't keep up will be left behind. One of my Concord classmates is holds a doctoral degree in education. She teaches at 3 universities which deliver some or all of their programs online. She is married to an Orlando-area prosecutor who encouraged her to take the JD program to meet the requirements necessary to become a lobbyist in Florida--you have to have a JD. No one cares if it comes from an ABA-approved school or not. If it doesn't matter to the State of Florida, why should it matter to you? She and her husband simply want to lobby for education. 2) While you may be limited by your imagination, thankfully others are open to change. No longer are we limited in our education choices based on race, gender, religion, or age. However, until now, some of us have been limited by location. Now, here we are in the 21st century, where lectures can be delivered instantly, where we can collaborate in an instant, where we can explore as fast as the speed of broadband, and the miracle of digital delivery propels us towards educational opportunities that would have been impossible before. It's unfortunate you can only imagine success within the comfines of your own experience. I promise you, the possibilities are endless and much, much closer than you think.

At this point, there's really nothing I can say that won't come across as insulting or condescending to you. So, I'll leave it at this: best of luck to you.

About time!

Times change, and also technology changes the medium of instruction. Everyone has trouble accepting change, as has been apparent with your posts in this particular section of the forums, but change happens and does not stop.

I for one appreciate your concern with distance education, for I have them myself, but I feel that you crossed the line from just being concern to being nothing more than an internet bully expelling on other people’s questions, and trying to suppress their dreams. You have nothing encouraging to say in this forum designed to help those working adults that wish to fulfill their dreams, so there is really no reason for you to post. I pity you, because you are pathetic in your quest to devaluate the responses of those people that want nothing more than to share information to those that want answers.

Please do not bother responding to my post in an effort to further feed your trolling, I have no interest.

Times change, and also technology changes the medium of instruction. Everyone has trouble accepting change, as has been apparent with your posts in this particular section of the forums, but change happens and does not stop.

Oh for god's sake. now, really here folks. This is the 2nd post that's trying to harp on this "change" and "technology" drum. Not to mention that my viewpoint is based on "prejudice" and the inability to accept technological change.

I'm not sure what your "distance learning" schools are telling you, but they're not the only schools using technology.

ABA Law schools are using technology. Every school is using technology. High schools and junior colleges are using technology.

"Traditional" schools aren't at a disadvantage to distance-learning in the use of technology. It's a tool in their bag. This isn't a question of:

"You can chose a traditional school which uses no technology, or you can chose a distance school that uses innovative technology."

Be serious, folks. The reality is that you can chose a traditional school that involves a classroom experience AND technology, or you can chose a distance learning school that uses just electronic distance learning methods.

This isn't A or B. It's "A+B" or "just B". "Traditional" schools aren't the ones with limited tools. They're using them all.

It's the distance learning schools that are only using a limited set of teaching tools.

As for the rest, I guess I am just getting a hard lesson in why the regulars don't comment on this part of the board.

Best of luck with your studies. I hope you find what you're looking for.

You can ascribe my perspective to mean-spiritedness, prejudice and resistance to change if it makes you feel better. That's one way to look at it.

However, from the other perspective, the speed with which this whole thing devolved into, "you're just prejudiced, don't understand change and are just a biggo meanie trying to crush our dreams" tells me that there really isn't much discussion that's possible on this topic.

Does someone need a hug, FalconJimmy? C'mon....****HUG**** Hey, even big meanies have feelings.

And don't worry, there have been naysayers at every junction of Mankind's giant leaps. It won't float. It won't fly. It won't transmit. It won't transmit in color. It won't get out of the atmosphere. It will burn up on re-entry. There is no vaccine for Polio. No one will want a personal computer. And yet, here we are.

I wanted to add some information, which may be useful or which may just serve to muddy the waters. I am an upper manager for state government, and part of my position is to oversee the licensing and certification of certain professionals in the state (not attorneys, but positions which require a Master’s degree). My position is, according to statute, given authority to administer this activity, overseen by a State Certification Board which meets three times a year. We consult loosely with other states, to keep required qualifications and CE roughly similar.

In this capacity we not only accept distance education, we encourage it. We accept a diploma from a regionally or nationally accredited distance education program in exactly the same fashion as we accept a brick and mortar institution. If it is a university we are not familiar with we certainly WILL check to make sure they are accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the US Department of Education.

My final point - in this state it is accepted that a legitimate distance degree will be recognized in most fields, the notable exception being law. I feel that the field of law will eventually be forced to accept distance learning degrees, and accredit these schools. The ABA needs to realize that hiding its collective head in the sand won’t make this problem go away, and that they need to wake up and address this issue in a reasonable fashion – before the Supreme Court of some state forces them to do so.

Just my .02 – feel free to disagree, but I likely won’t come back on and debate the issue.

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lawstudent#1

I wanted to add some information, which may be useful or which may just serve to muddy the waters. I am an upper manager for state government, and part of my position is to oversee the licensing and certification of certain professionals in the state (not attorneys, but positions which require a Master’s degree). My position is, according to statute, given authority to administer this activity, overseen by a State Certification Board which meets three times a year. We consult loosely with other states, to keep required qualifications and CE roughly similar.

In this capacity we not only accept distance education, we encourage it. We accept a diploma from a regionally or nationally accredited distance education program in exactly the same fashion as we accept a brick and mortar institution. If it is a university we are not familiar with we certainly WILL check to make sure they are accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the US Department of Education.

My final point - in this state it is accepted that a legitimate distance degree will be recognized in most fields, the notable exception being law. I feel that the field of law will eventually be forced to accept distance learning degrees, and accredit these schools. The ABA needs to realize that hiding its collective head in the sand won’t make this problem go away, and that they need to wake up and address this issue in a reasonable fashion – before the Supreme Court of some state forces them to do so.

Just my .02 – feel free to disagree, but I likely won’t come back on and debate the issue.

Military has been accepting DETC as promotion points and ways to be an officer for decades now. If it's good enough to trust someone with being in command of nuclear sub, kind of says a lot dosn't it?

Does someone need a hug, FalconJimmy? C'mon....****HUG**** Hey, even big meanies have feelings.

And don't worry, there have been naysayers at every junction of Mankind's giant leaps. It won't float. It won't fly. It won't transmit. It won't transmit in color. It won't get out of the atmosphere. It will burn up on re-entry. There is no vaccine for Polio. No one will want a personal computer. And yet, here we are.